December 05, 2014
By Jeff Simpson
Drop-shotting through the ice can be extremely productive, though few anglers do it. Getting ice perch to rise up forces them to make a decision to eat or not to eat. More times than not, perch that are willing to rise are willing to eat.
Drop-shotting involves setting a weight at the end of the line, with a hook and bait set some distance above, which keeps your bait
a set distance from bottom -- basically suspending your bait near bottom where perch tend to roam. The weight allows full control of the working depth and also allows for bouncing the bait on bottom -- a classic trick for attracting and getting perch active.
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In most states during the ice season, two to four lines or lures are legal. Consider rigging a double drop-shot rig, positioning one bait about 6 inches from bottom and one anywhere from 2 to 3 feet. Active fish more likely will rise up and take the bait, but the bait close to bottom allows for presenting a bait to perch not willing to rise off bottom.
Use a palomar knot to position the bait on the main line. When tying the palomar, insert the tag end of the line through the eye from the hook point side, and form the loop on the bend side. When you tighten the knot, the hook sticks straight out, positioning the bait correctly. The length of the tag end of line determines the distance from bait to weight. Adding 2- to 3-inch dropper lines allows you to position your bait away from your main line. Simply create a loop (overhand knot) in the main line where you want to position the bait; then tie a uni-knot to the loop before tightening the loop knot.
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3 Devils Lake, North Dakota This ever expanding perch mecca is again on the upswing for trophy-size perch. North Dakota Fish and Game reports that the lake's perch population is at the highest level since 2003. With strong year-classes from both 2006 and 2007, perch in the 10- to 14-inch range will make up a large percentage of the catch this year. Contact: Guide Jason Mitchell, 701/662-6560, fishdevilslake.net; The Perch Patrol, 701/351-3474,
perchpatrol.com .
9 Lake Michigan, Indiana Big water means plenty of opportunities to intercept roving schools of jumbo perch that can number in the thousands. High winds in spring have reduced angling pressure during the last two spawning cycles, and 2013 should be a banner year for fish in the 12- to 15-inch range. The prespawn bite starts in deep water over clay bottom during early spring, with fish moving to shallower rock and weededges in summer and fall. Contact: Capt. Ralph Steiger, 219/688-3593,
captainsteiger.com .
7 Finger Lakes, New York Perch thrive in these 11 glacier-formed, deep, clear waters. Multiple lakes in close proximity allow for lake-hopping for beautifully colored perch. Seneca Lake draws much of the attention, but perch over 12 inches are in all of the lakes. Contact: Capt. John Gaulke, 607/319-0450,
Âfingerlakesanglingzone.com .
4 Glacial Lakes, South Dakota With more than 50 lakes near the town of Webster, each year sees different lakes peaking for perch in the 9- to 13-inch range. Fertile waters from recent flooding help to ensure consistent good year-classes of perch. Bonus fish include a nice mix of crappies, bluegills, walleyes, and pike. Contact: Guide Cory Ewing, 605/929-3894, Â
waubaylakeguideservice.com .
1 Interlake, Manitoba Situated between the mammoth waters of lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba, local fisheries range from natural valley lakes of 30 square miles, to shallow inland lakes of modest size. Fantastic perch fishing runs from early December through ice-out. Plenty of perch hit the 12-inch mark in these fertile lakes, and there is a good shot at 14- to 15-inchers. Contact: Dino Branfield, 204/362-2945,
nelsonvilleoutfitters.com .
10 Lake Erie, Ontario Along with its 'walleye factory ' moniker, Lake Erie produces more perch than any other lake in North America. A hot bite exists in fall along Erie's north shore. Once fish are located, 50-fish daily bags are the norm. Manmade structures, including midlake gas wells and underground pipelines, concentrate massive schools, making the fishing reminiscent of the Gulf of Mexico. Contact: Capt. Frank DiMarcantonio, 905/933-4834,
niagarasportfishing.ca .
8 Lake Gogebic, Michigan Despite being the largest inland lake in the Upper Peninsula and producing more state angler award fish than any other fishery in the area, this trophy perch fishery somehow remains under the national radar. While not a numbers fishery, perch surpassing 2 pounds are caught each year, both during the open-water and hard-water seasons. Contact: Barry Drews, 906/842-3361,
ninepinesresort.com ; Gogebic Lodge, 906/842-3321,
gogebiclodge.com .
5 Lake Simcoe, Ontario Abundant freshwater shrimp and other small invertebrates allow this heavily fished lake in southern Ontario to continually produce good numbers and sizes of perch. While ice fishing generates the most angling pressure, some of the biggest fish are taken shortly after ice-out in shallow bays around Beaverton. Schools of big perch roam deeper water throughout summer. Contact: Guide Greg Klatt, 416/580-2541,
profishntanglingservices.com .
6 Lake St. Clair, Michigan Lake St. Clair provides incredible summer and fall fishing for numbers of 8- to 12-inch perch. Target them just outside thick vegetation in 6 to 18 feet of water. By fishing shallower water, deep-water mortality among sorted fish isn't an issue. One hundred- to 200-fish days are common. Contact: Capt. Steve Jones, 586/463-3474,
ÂÂfishpredator.com .
2 Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota A big-water favorite in central Minnesota, this year-round fishery puts out jumbos averaging 12 inches, if you know where to hunt them, and fish in the 15-inch range aren't out of the question. For those willing to put in the work to locate a mess of jumbos, the rewards can be huge. Contact: Guide Tony Roach, 763/226-6656,
roachsguideservice.com .
